


The Truth Won't Out Willingly

by nicostolemybones (fatherlords)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, and confrontation, but there is angst, everything ends good, homophobia tw, solangelo, truth or dare prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21759133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fatherlords/pseuds/nicostolemybones
Summary: Nico officially hates Truth or Dare when a son of Eros starts being a dickhead.I do not give permission for my work to appear on any apps nor do I consent to my work being reposted anywhere. If you see my work outside of my tumblr or outside of any blogs/accounts I mention in my fics, please report/contact them or inform me. If you report them, do not report as if it were your own work.My tumblr is @nicohasahappymeal
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 7
Kudos: 192





	The Truth Won't Out Willingly

“Truth or dare?”

Nico swallowed thickly. He just knew this was going to end badly, of course he did. Especially based on the smirk on the son of Eros’s face as he asked. He wasn’t going to risk a dare. He could already see the way the boy’s eyes raked down his body like he was a piece of meat, and flickered to the eyes of the other boys and back to Nico. Nico just knew he’d dare him to kiss one of them, and Nico did not want to be outed, humiliated like that. He was not a performance for the entertainment of others. “Truth,” Nico replied in a measured voice. There was a pause whilst the son of Eros leaned back, a dangerous smirk crossing his lips. He looked at Nico like Nico was weak, like he could feel the fear radiating. Nico supposed the death aura currently killing the strawberry plants in the field might have been giving it away. Nico picked at a strand of dead grass, angrily throwing it and accidentally summoning a crow skull, which landed across the circle at Annabeth. What terrible fucking irony, Nico scowled. The son of Eros gave an amused hum.  
“Which girl did you last have a crush on, di Angelo. And remember, liars forfeit.” Nico refused to be trapped by that. He had a lie, and he’d been bold enough to tell it to Cupid, convincing enough that Annabeth had even believed it herself at one point. 

“Annabeth,” Nico replied, making direct eye contact. The son of Eros snorted a laugh that attracted the attention of the other players, who began looking wearily at Nico, like some of them suspected him. 

“Really?”

“One question at a time,” Jason interrupted, and Nico scowled at him. He didn’t want Jason to fight battles he was capable of fighting himself.

“Yes, really,” Nico replied, hyper aware of the tension in his voice. He cleared his throat, waving his arm casually in Annabeth’s direction, grateful for the puce tinge his embarrassment had given him. “I like blondes.” Nico chanced a glance around the circle, to Annabeth first. She didn’t look uncomfortable, although she gave Nico a lopsided sympathetic smile, because she knew what was going on, but as she took Percy’s hand, it could easily be interpreted as a smile of apology. He looked to Jason, scared he’d see uncomfortableness on his face, but Jason looked no more uncomfortable by the revelation of Nico’s type than he did when Percy talked about Annabeth. Good, he thought to himself, he had allies he could trust. He looked to Percy, who was deep in thought as he looked around the weary faces, like he was finally realising why Nico felt the need to tell him that he wasn’t his type. Because Nico just knew that revealing his sexuality made people uncomfortable, made people fear his company, like he was a predator. Percy seemed to finally understand that it was never about Nico getting one over on him, but rather Nico protecting himself from the pervert label homophobes liked to slap on him. Percy looked like he finally understood, and he gave Nico a sad smile. Nico didn’t want pity, he didn’t want to be looked at like a kid who just lost his puppy, or like a kid who was sick. He was gay, not sick. He knew it was supposed to be sympathy, but Nico didn’t want to have to face the uncomfortableness of people’s sympathy. Sympathy was for death cards, with deepest symathy, and Nico hadn’t lost someone, wasn’t dead, he was gay. 

“Truth or dare,” Nico eventually asked Piper, who picked dare. Of course she did, and Leo leaned over to whisper in Nico’s ear, giggling.

“Please make her dump a bucket of ice water over Jason,” Leo wheezed, and Nico smirked, looking to Piper, and then to Jason. Jason’s face resembled a clear thought of oh no, then Nico crossed the circle to Piper, and whispered in her ear. Piper giggled and snorted, running off to go and get the ice bucket. Leo was wheezing with laughter when Nico sat back down, leaning on Nico’s shoulder with his elbow for stability. Nico wondered if Leo would still feel so comfortable if he knew Nico’s secret, or if he’d suddenly change his view of platonic intimacy with other guys to exclude Nico out of the arrogant assumption that Nico would want every boy he ever laid eyes on. Nico felt paranoid, but he knew he had a valid reason for being so cautious and worried, because he had no idea if the people who called themselves his friends- if they even did- would change how they behaved around him like he was contagious. Nico felt anxiety twisting in his gut, and by the time Piper had dumped a bucket of ice water on Jason, who had promptly sparked up and mildly electrocuted himself, Nico couldn’t focus on the game anymore. All he could think about in his head was all the words he wished he’d said, all the words he wanted to say, but was afraid to say out of fear his experiences would become a discourse on his basic human rights. Nico didn’t have the energy to want to engage in something so toxic to himself. He’d hated himself enough, and he wasn’t ready to have others validate that hate.

Which is why Nico didn’t snap out of his thoughts until he heard a nervous laugh from Will. “Haha, what?”

“Kiss di Angelo,” the son of Eros said, and Nico scowled. He knew shadows were pooling, but he didn’t care. 

“I don’t consent to a kiss,” Will announced calmly, to which Nico heard a son of Ares use a slur to unnecessarily butt in his input of how he didn’t wanna see that. Nico was about to say something when Clarisse gave him a hard slap. 

“If you forfeit, the forefeit is you have to tell everyone your little secret. Or does my father have to pay you a little visit?” Oh. Oh hell no. Oh hell no Cupid wasn’t going to be bothering Will. 

“I’m not telling anyone anything,” Will said firmly, and the son of Eros laughed coldly. 

“Then kiss di Angelo.”

“I already said, I don’t consent to-”

“Then should I tell everyone you’re a dirty little f-”

“You dare use that word,” Nico interrupted in a quiet warning tone, “you dare call him that word and I’ll fucking kill you. And if you dare force him to kiss anybody, I will personally see to it that you’ll find a rotting decapitated head in your bed tonight.”

“Holy shit,” Clarisse muttered, giving Nico an impressed glance.

“I’m merely having a little fun,” the son of Ares said, standing up. Nico was about to speak, but Will stood up too, fists balled at his side and face furiously pink. 

“It’s not fun for me!”

“Oh boo-hoo(!)”

“You’re being a bully!” Will wasn’t going to back down, and Nico had seen what Eros was capable of. He wasn’t going to let Will go through that, so he stood, and he stood by Will’s side. He didn’t say anything- it wasn’t his battle to fight. But he wanted Will to know that he was on his side, always. The Ares camper from before stood by the son of Eros, and suddenly the situation felt dangerous. Nico was prepared to have his head kicked in to protect Will from the gay bashing he knew was about to come. Jason stood, joining Nico and Will, then Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Leo, Clarisse, Reyna, Hazel, Frank, Calypso, Grover, Austin, Kayla, Drew, Katie, Travis, Connor, Cecil, Lou-Ellen- and Nico felt empowered. He would not be afraid and hide in the shadows. 

“Got a problem?” Nico asked, smirking.

“Perverts,” the son of Eros spat. 

“You’re the one trying to force Will to kiss me without his consent, not me. You’re the pervert,” Nico pointed out. 

“Now leave,” Will commanded, and the son of Eros and the son of Ares looked at the crowd of supporters, and walked away without a word. Nico laughed coldly, bitterly, because whether he liked it or not, the truth was probably out there now. Of course they all knew. 

“What was that about,” Hazel asked, shaking her head, although her question was more in disbelief at the confrontation.

“I’m gay,” Nico announced emotionlessly, “deal with it.” There was stony silence for a while.

“So,” Leo began, and Nico prepared for a stupid joke, “any particular blondes?” Was he seriously asking this? Was he seriously asking if Nico had a crush after that confrontation? Nico checked his anger- Leo meant to break the ice and show his support, and Nico knew that. As much as it was terrible timing, and crossed his boundaries, Nico knew he hadn’t communicated his boundaries, and Leo clearly meant nothing but support. There was no malice, so Nico took a few calm, long breaths. 

“I don’t feel like talking about it,” Nico replied, and Leo nodded, putting an arm around his shoulder. 

“And you don’t have to man, but you don’t have to keep it all inside either.” Nico felt warmed by the gesture- Leo had put his arm around him, comfortably so, and it meant the world to Nico that he wasn’t going to be treated any differently than usual. 

“Are you okay, Will,” Nico asked carefully, and Will nodded. 

“Just a little shaken up.”

“Understandable,” Nico replied, “that was scary, huh?”

“I’d rather operate on a cardiac tamponade in a dirty lift with nothing but a capri-sun straw,” Will announced, huffing a soundless laugh and glowing softly, “but I’m grateful for all the support.”

“I’ve no idea what that means,” Percy interjected, “but I’m suddenly doubting your qualifications to run the infirmary, Will.”

“Oh, I have none,” Will replied with a laugh and an exaggerated smile. 

“Are you a quack or a barber surgeon?” Nico quipped, and Drew snickered.

“Oh honey, he’s definitely a quack, he can’t cut hair for toffee.”

“That was one time,” Will huffed, pouting in jest. 

“It was a bowl cut, sweetie,” Drew replied, and Nico snickered.

“You had a bowl cut?” Nico interrupted. 

“It was a long time ago!” Will defended. 

“It was last month,” Lou-Ellen laughed, “literally just before you met,” she clarified for Nico.

“Meanies,” Will pouted, “I looked cute.”

“If you say so,” Nico laughed, and Will hiccupped a light butterfly. Nico found himself fighting the skeletal butterflies resurrecting in his stomach in favour of a smile and a blush he couldn’t fight down. “Are we gonna tell ‘em?” 

“Nah,” Will grinned impishly, “they can figure it out for themselves. For now, truth or dare now the trash got taken out?”

“Sure,” Nico smiled, looking back at his secret boyfriend.


End file.
